Asian ethnic groups grow most in Auckland region
While there was an increase in the proportion of Asians living in every region, the biggest growth occurred in the Auckland region. In 2013, almost 1 in 4 people (23.1 percent or 307,233 people) living in the Auckland region identified with one or more Asian ethnic groups, compared with 1 in 5 people (18.9 percent) in 2006.
Other regions that also experienced an increase in the proportion of people identifying with one or more Asian ethnic groups in 2013 included:
- Wellington – 10.5 percent (8.4 percent in 2006)
- Waikato – 6.9 percent (5.0 percent in 2006)
- Bay of Plenty – 5.2 percent (3.2 percent in 2006).
The Auckland local board areas with the largest Asian populations were:
- Howick – 47,511 people (38.8 percent of people living in Howick)
- Whau – 24,078 people (35.4 percent)
- Albert-Eden – 25,278 people (28.2 percent).
Almost two-thirds (65.1 percent) of people who identified with at least one Asian ethnic group lived in the Auckland region in 2013.
Indian ethnic group growing faster than Chinese
The number of people identifying with the Indian ethnic group increased 48.4 percent between 2006 and 2013, compared with an increase of 16.2 percent for the Chinese ethnic group.
Chinese remained the largest Asian ethnic group in 2013, with 171,411 people (36.3 percent of the Asian ethnic group, down from 41.6 percent in 2006).
Indian was the second-largest Asian ethnic group in 2013, with 155,178 people (32.9 percent of the Asian ethnic group, up from 29.5 percent in 2006).
The Indian ethnic group also grew faster than the Chinese ethnic group between the 2001 and 2006 Censuses:
- Indian – up 68.2 percent
- Chinese – up 40.5 percent.
Population of selected Asian ethnic groups
2001, 2006, and 2013 Censuses |
| Ethnic group(1) |
2001 Census |
2006 Census |
2013 Census |
Percentage change 2001–2006 |
Percentage change 2006–2013 |
| Chinese |
105,057 |
147,567 |
171,411 |
40.5 |
16.2 |
| Indian |
62,187 |
104,583 |
155,178 |
68.2 |
48.4 |
| Filipino |
11,091 |
16,938 |
40,350 |
52.7 |
138.2 |
| Korean |
19,026 |
30,792 |
30,171 |
61.8 |
-2.0 |
| Japanese |
10,026 |
11,910 |
14,118 |
18.8 |
18.5 |
| Sri Lankan |
7,014 |
8,313 |
11,274 |
18.5 |
35.6 |
| Cambodian |
5,268 |
6,915 |
8,601 |
31.3 |
24.4 |
| Vietnamese |
3,462 |
4,770 |
6,660 |
37.8 |
39.6 |
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1. Includes all people who stated each ethnic group, whether as their only ethnic group or as one of several. Where a person reported more than one ethnic group, they have been counted in each applicable group.
Note: The gap between this census and the last one is seven years. The change in data between 2006 and 2013 may be greater than in the usual five-year gap between censuses. Be careful when comparing trends.
Source: Statistics New Zealand
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Filipino population more than tripled since 2001
The Filipino population more than tripled in size since 2001. The numbers of people who identified as Filipino in the last three censuses were:
- 2013 – 40,350 people (up 138.2 percent from 2006)
- 2006 – 16,938 people (up 52.7 percent from 2001)
- 2001 – 11,091 people.
Other Asian ethnic groups with large percentage increases between 2001 and 2013 were:
- Vietnamese (up 92.4 percent to 6,660 people in 2013)
- Korean (up 58.6 percent to 30,171 people)
- Japanese (up 40.8 percent to 14,118 people).
The number of people who identified as Korean increased 61.8 percent between 2001 and 2006, and then decreased 2.0 percent between 2006 and 2013.
Asian ethnic group getting older
The median age for the Asian ethnic group increased in 2013, compared with 2006 and 2001. Over the three most recent censuses, it was:
- 2013 – 30.6 years
- 2006 – 28.3 years
- 2001 – 28.3 years.
Of those who identified with one or more Asian ethnic groups, females were older than males. The median age for females in 2013 was 31.9 years, compared with 29.3 years for males.
The Asian ethnic group was the third-largest major ethnic group in 2013. It almost doubled in size since 2001. The numbers and percentages of people who identified with an Asian ethnic group in the last three censuses were:
- 2013 – 471,708 people (11.8 percent of the population)
- 2006 – 354,552 people (9.2 percent)
- 2001 – 238,179 people (6.6 percent).
Big proportion of Asian ethnic group aged 20–34 years
Of the Asian ethnic group, 30.0 percent were aged 20–34 years. In comparison, 18.7 percent of the total population were in this age group.
Many of the people in this age group were recent arrivals – two thirds (65.4 percent) had been living in New Zealand for less than 10 years, and 43.1 percent had been in New Zealand for less than five years.